Step 6: Step 6

Step 7: Final step - PLAY!!!

The nicest thing about a shakuhachi is that you don't need to "know" how to play to play it. First cover all the holes with your fingers. Next ...

In this instructable you will learn how to make a shakuhachi, an end blown flute! * (with out the coupling, it's not needed)
materials you will need are:
21 1/2" piece of 1" sch 40 PVC pipe
a coping saw
a unibit and drill
an xacto knife
tape measure
steel square
100 and 220 sand paper
optional:
spray paint
angle measuring device

Here is a link to a video of how it sounds. Keep in mind that I used a picture camera to shoot the video so the one you make will sound richer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ90ipNFKE0
P.S. I had to use a link the embeding thingy didn't work for me.

Step 1: Step 1

make a 2 marks about 1 1/8" wide as indicated by the red arrows and 9/16" in as indicated by the black arrow.
Then draw an ellipise connecting them and cut the section out with the saw.

Step 2: Step 2

place the part you just cut flat onto 100 sand paper then with 220 and sand it smooth. After sanding there will be some flashing. Trim
it with an xacto knife but make sure you don't blunt the edge while doing it.
This part is important, you want the edge that you just made sharp. This is the part that makes it sing.
At this point you can measure the angle but it's not necessary.
this particular one is at 30 degrees.

Step 3: Step 3

Now draw a curved line at the bottom, cut and sand like the top part but leave no sharp edges. The curve is meant to fit the part below
your bottom lip comfortably. So the actual shape is not to important other than it should be comfortable.
Once you have removed the flashing and smothed it with sand paper you can try to see if it will make music.
If it doesn't seem to work not to worry! It takes practice learning how to blow into one of these to make it sing.
It took me two weeks! I'm sure you can do it a lot sooner.

It works! I just made one out of some 3/4" pipe I had around and I can play it. I did nearly pass out though. Too much huff is needed. I also think I made the back angle too steep. I'll have another go with some thicker pipe another time.

I believe to be a real Zen Shakuhachi player I will have to stand outside with a basket on my head and play it. Maybe when I have practiced a bit.

I very much enjoyed the no-nonsense approach of your project. Well done.

Skyfinity first introduced me (for which gratitude) to the shakuhashi. I made his transverse bamboo flute while I was working in Morocco and had time on my hands. Now I am on a project in Sudan with time and a piece of pvc pipe. I found an incredible wealth of information on the following site: http://www.navaching.com/

One remark. The statement you make concerning the necessity of a sharp edge is incorrect. An airstream blown against any edge, sharp or blunt, creates turbulence. A small part of this turbulence is amplified and channeled through the tube, creating harmonics or the sound you want to hear. The shakuhashi with a blunt edge is more forgiving to play for a beginner and a sharp edge lends itself to more pitch bending.

I very much enjoyed the no-nonsense approach of your project. Well done.

Skyfinity first introduced me (for which gratitude) to the shakuhashi. I made his transverse bamboo flute while I was working in Morocco and had time on my hands. Now I am on a project in Sudan with time and a piece of pvc pipe. I found an incredible wealth of information on the following site: http://www.navaching.com/

One remark. The statement you make concerning the necessity of a sharp edge is incorrect. An airstream blown against any edge, sharp or blunt, creates turbulence. A small part of this turbulence is amplified and channeled through the tube, creating harmonics or the sound you want to hear. The shakuhashi with a blunt edge is more forgiving to play for a beginner and a sharp edge lends itself to more pitch bending.